NEWS

NEWS

'In a perfect society, Army Council would have no influence on Sinn Féin' - Burton

Armed Gardai from the forces Emergency Response Unit on patrol in North Inner City Dublin as gang violence has resulted in two murders in four days. Picture by: Niall Carson / PA Wire/Press Association Images

14:17 10 Feb 2016
Newstalk
14:17 Wednesday 10 February 2016

The Tánaiste Joan Burton says that a world without the need for a Special Criminal Court would be a world where the IRA army council does not dictate Sinn Féin policy.

Ms Burton again attacked Sinn Féin over their calls to scrap the court - saying Gerry Adams is out of touch with life in the Republic.

The Tánaiste also said that she has confidence in Garda Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan to tackle gangland crime.

Joan Burton says we would only be in a position to scrap the Special Criminal Courts in a perfect world.

It comes after the Taoiseach Enda Kenny earlier expressed his full confidence in Commissioner O'Sullivan.

In the wake of the two gangland killings, Mr Kenny says the government has provided the resources and facilities she has requested over the past 12 months.

Speaking on the campaign trail in Co Sligo, the Fine Gael leader has also ruled out any emergency legislation to tackle gangland crime.

While the Fianna Fail leader says the government is panicking in dealing with the problem of organised crime in Dublin.

Micheal Martin was responding to the apparent u-turn by the Garda Commissioner on the issue of resources within the force.

On Monday, Commissioner O'Sullivan said resources were not a problem for the gardaí in tackling crime - while yesterday she re-assigned 55 members of the force to tackle the problem.

Speaking at the Irish Farmers' HQ in Dublin today, Mr Martin said the government has no long term plan to tackle crime.